Chapter 13

The next morning, as usual, Dr. Williams was already in her office when Malaya rushed in with a cup of coffee.
She found Williams deeply focused on a document, her face set in a serious expression. Malaya placed the cup carefully on the table and turned to leave, knowing these were moments when Williams hated interruptions.

But before she reached the door, Williams called her back.
“Malaya.”
“Yes, Madame?”
“Have a seat, please.”

Dr. Williams gestured calmly toward the chair across from her. Malaya hesitated, her heart racing. What if Dr. Williams had found out she had modified the document to protect Dr. Emilio? She obeyed, sitting down slowly, trying to steady her breathing. Williams’s eyes, however, remained fixed on the papers before her.

“Well, Malaya, I just received a letter from the Human Resources Department. Your reviews are excellent, by the way. I am very impressed by how quickly you adapted to our work standards.”
“Thank you, Madame,” Malaya replied, exhaling in relief.

“Well, it is up to me to determine whether you’ll be officially admitted or not.” Williams finally raised her gaze to meet Malaya’s. “So, I need to ask you this. Why should I give you a chance to be part of the prestigious Niran Kai Medical Center?”

Malaya blinked, confused. Was she being interviewed? She had joined the medical Center as an intern, and this period was only a trial. At last, the decision for permanent employment was to be handled by the administration, not by Dr. Williams herself. This is how the center had always conducted its business. Why was Williams taking such a personal interest in her case?

Before Malaya could form a coherent answer, a soft click broke the silence. She looked up and saw that Dr. Williams was no longer behind her desk. She was standing by the door, locking it. Then, she removed the keys and turned toward Malaya.

“Madame?” Malaya called out, startled.

“I asked you a question, Malaya.” Williams moved closer, placing the keys on the desk with deliberate calm. She leaned against it beside her, her presence dominating the space. Malaya’s throat tightened.

“I… I have experience, and I’ve worked hard for it,” she managed to say.

As she spoke, Williams reached out, her fingers brushing through Malaya’s hair. The touch made her stand abruptly.
“Dr. Williams,” Malaya whispered, alarmed.

“You are experienced, yes,” Williams murmured, “but you are also gorgeous. Has anyone ever told you that, Montira?”

Malaya froze, her heart pounding. Williams’s tone softened, almost seductive. “At Niran Kai, your salary would be more than sufficient. But being my personal secretary comes with… other advantages,” she smiled.

Her hand slid down from Malaya’s hair to her shoulder, trailing lower. Malaya caught her wrist instinctively.
“I’m confused, Madame. What is going on?”

Her gaze darted to the locked door, then to the keys glinting on the desk. The air was heavy, the silence louder than any word. Williams’s intentions were now painfully clear.

In the next instant, the sound of objects falling shattered the silence as Williams pushed her over the desk. Malaya’s body stiffened, her mind screaming even as her voice refused to obey. The woman she admired—the prestigious, brilliant Dr. Niran Williams—was now a stranger, a predator about to take advantage of her.

She thought of what would happen if she resisted. Who would believe her? People would call her ungrateful, even lucky, for being touched by the legendary doctor. Fear clawed through her chest as Williams’s hands grew rougher.

“Dr. Williams please,” she whispered, her voice shaking. She gripped the edge of the desk, eyes closed, face turned away, waiting for the inevitable.

The room spun. Then— “MALAYA!”

She gasped, spilling coffee from her trembling hands onto the desk. Her vision cleared, and reality snapped back. She was standing in Williams’s office, holding the cup she had just placed.

Williams glanced up briefly. “I suppose the coffee is cold now. You’ve been turning it for quite some time.”

“I’m… I’m sorry, Madame. I’ll change it right away.”

“No need,” Williams interrupted, returning to her documents. “Did you hear what I said?”

“Huh?”

“Call Dr. Emilio. I need to see him. And get rid of that coffee—you’re sweating.”

“Of course, Madame,” Malaya replied softly, still shaken.

As she left, Williams watched her go. Something about Malaya’s nervousness had caught her attention. But even if she worried, she would never show it.

Malaya walked down the corridor, her thoughts spiraling. Normally, she would go straight to Emilio’s office to call him, but today she could not bring herself to go there. The place she once entered with joy now felt dark and suffocating.

Her mind returned to the secret misconduct surrounding Dr. Emilio and the interns. How long had it been happening? How many knew? Did they think she was part of it, too? The thought made her stomach twist. What if she had been next all along—another target?

She felt trapped between two dangers: the doctor who had once been her friend and the one who now seemed a stranger.

Malaya stopped at her desk and asked a colleague to call Dr. Emilio instead. She could not face him. Her strange behavior’s were becoming too obvious to ignore, and coworkers had begun whispering behind her back.

Malaya was no traitor. She will never expose Dr. Emilio even if the weight of it was torturing. But as for what they used to be, it would never be the same.

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